This summer, eight students from SokCho, Korea get a chance to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as they partake in an exchange program and stay with host families in Gresham.

The program these students are participating in is called the Gresham Sister City Association (GSCA), and it has been sending students between Gresham and SokCho as well as Ebetsu, Japan and Owerri, Nigeria for over 25 years.

Hosting a student can be a great experience not only for the students, but the host family as well. According to GSCA vice president H. J. Yu, being a part of an exchange program is beneficial to both parties.

“Traveling to another country as a teenager is a lifetime experience. I know our modern high-tech brings the world much closer but nothing can beat the hands-on experience,” Yu said.

Each student who agrees to host an exchange student will be eligible through the GSCA to travel to SokCho next summer. Of the eight visiting students, only one has a host family to house them while in Gresham from July 17 to Aug. 2.

“[The] host family will have a chance to learn another culture, and [the] host student is eligible to visit Korea next year,” Yu said.

Junior Ngoc Tran Le is part of the only host family here in Gresham, and she also understands benefits available in hosting.

“Hosting really brings cultures together, and it’s a fun way to learn about the rest of the world,” Le said.

The sharing of cultures can lead to a better understanding of the different ways of life, and expand one’s knowledge and tastes as far as pop culture, food, literature and even different outlooks on life.

President Kim Ell first got involved with the GSCA when his son traveled to Korea in 2004, and since then his commitment to the sharing of culture has grown. It is important not only to him but many others in Korea as well to grow and expand their knowledge and cultural experiences.

“Education for Koreans is a highly held value and having the opportunity to travel to America gives them status with other Koreans,” Ell said. “Understanding international issues helps them develop as a country.”

The students themselves also highly value this educational opportunity.

“The best benefit is their ability to practice real conversational English since they are taught in classroom settings from books,” Ell said. “…the application process for the students is very competitive as this is considered an extreme privilege to travel to the USA.”

To host an exchange student, a family must first pass a criminal background check. They then must be able to prove that they are able to comfortably take care of the student like a guest in their home by being able to provide food and a bed, and being aware of the student’s allergies, including pets.

To apply, a family simply must fill out an application that can be found on the Gresham Sister City Association’s website, and for more information may call Yu, whose contact information may also be found on their website.

As only one family has signed up to host so far, the Korean students and the GSCA are still searching for families willing to participate in this unique opportunity.